Betrayal
by miyukouyama
Summary: Nightwing goes drinking in hopes that he'll temporarily forget about his struggles as a hero and his fight with his best friend.
1. Chapter 1

***Ok, I haven't written much and this is only my second fan fiction. Please don't be**** too**** harsh xP**

After a long day of exhausting detective work, Nightwing got out of costume and headed to a local bar. Dick was only 18, but being in such good physical condition, he could easily pass for 21. Either way, he was the adopted son of Bruce Wayne. A fake ID wasn't too hard to get a hold of.

Dick wasn't big on drinking, but stress had been getting the better of him. With the invasion going on, there was little to no time to relax. That wasn't all that was getting to him though.

Dick took a seat at the counter in an almost empty bar. With the exception of a lone drinker in the far side of the room and a few guys playing pool, there was only Dick and the bartender.

"Give me a double please." Dick asked nicely. The old bartender gave him a large glass and neglected to ask for an ID. It was so late in the evening, he probably wouldn't have even cared if he knew the boy was 18. He took slow sips of his drink and started to feel the buzz. His face grew more flushed with each sip he took. Dick was finally loosening up.

"Did you guys hear about Red Arrow? Last night he took down those bank robbers with just a few shots!" a voice said behind him.

Dick turned to see the drunk men playing pool.

"Please! With a bow anyone could do that. Just take an arrow and boom it's done." the man imitated an archer. Dick winced. Archers. That was the last thing he wanted to hear about. After all, it was an archer that took his best friend away from him. Wally's angry voice echoed in his head.

_"I'm worried about Artemis! Terrified for her! And YOU put her right into his hands_!"

Dick felt his heart briefly skip a beat and asked the bartender to open a tab. He had never seen his best friend so angry before. Dick took a large gulp of his third drink and it burned his throat.

"Why does he care so much about that damn archer." he mumbled to himself. Dick and Wally were best friends even before they formed the team. So why is it when one girl gets in his head, he becomes hers and hers alone? Dick clenched his empty glass. He could easily break it in his fingers. Wally and him used to always be together. Beating bad guys, joking around, that was the life. The past five years drained all of that away.

"Everything alright kid?" The bartender asked. Dick looked up and noticed the man was gesturing to the boy's trembling hand.

"Everything's swell!" Dick said loudly. In his drunkenness he lost his temper as well as his manners. He took a second to breathe. "Sorry, may I have another one of these?" He shook the single ice cube in his cup. The old man sighed.

"Last one sir. Then I'm afraid I'll have to cut you off." he handed him his final drink. Dick glanced at the liquid and stirred it with a straw.

_"Look I'm sorry you lost all of your souvenirs!"_

_"Are you serious? I don't care about that junk!"_

That horrible day remained on repeat in Dick's mind. His blood was boiling now. Dick had to blow off some steam before he began threatening the bartender. He chugged the whole drink in one gulp and walked angrily out of the bar. The night air was cold against his heated skin. It was probably 3 am by then. Dick walked on the sidewalk with an angry expression. He needed to get home, now. Only when he tried to walk faster did he realize how completely intoxicated he was. He began to sway side to side. _This is pointless. I can't go home like this._

Dick spotted the nearest alley and stumbled towards it. He lay down on the cold cement and felt a drop rain on his face. _Rain. Perfect._ Dick tried to get to his feet but fell back down again. It began to pour. In defeat, he curled up and let himself get drenched. Who would care anyways? If I died in an alleyway? Everyone is already in mourning because of Artemis's "death." Sometimes, Dick wished she really was killed. Then he'd have his best friend back. Kid Flash.

Dick thought process was cruel and unmerciful when he was this wasted. Rain had soaked through all of his clothes at this point. Dick was cold, drenched, and completely miserable. As rain drops drowned his face, warm tears clashed with them. Dick was breaking down. The loud downpour of the rain covered the teenager's loud sobs. Dick couldn't identify this horrible feeling inside of him. Was it guilt? Or frustration? He was such a mess.

"Dick?" a voice asked behind him. The voice was familiar. Terrifyingly familiar.

Dick turned to see his best friend, a red umbrella in hand, standing in above him with a dumbfounded expression.


	2. Chapter 2

***Wow I was really surprised that anyone even read this story xD I didn't intend on writing more at first because I was worried it was lame but since I've been getting support I wrote another chapter. **

"W-Wally?" Dick stuttered. He was convinced that the heavy rain was clouding his vision. Wally wouldn't be in a place like this. Not now. Dick wiped away the tears from his eyes and prayed the rain had hidden them. With his vision now clearer, Dick stared into the red haired boy's green eyes and knew for sure that this boy was Wally West.

"What are you doing here dude?" Wally questioned, his eyes observed up and down the drenched, practically destroyed clothing on his friend. Dick's face turned an even brighter red.

"Nothing!" Dick retorted as he tried to get to his feet. He succeeded for a moment, only to collapse into Wally's arms. Wally held him up and could detect the unmistakable smell of hard liquor.

"You smell like a bar." Wally said coldly as he looked away with disgust. Dick frowned. Of course of all people to be wandering the streets at 3 in the morning, it had to be Wally. Dick was very professional most of the time, and even Wally has never seen him in this state. He was so embarrassed.

"You're coming to my house. You're going to get hypothermia if you stay in the rain any longer." Wally said as he lifted up his drunken friend. Dick pushed him away.

"I'm fine! J-just. Leave me here. Everything's cool." Dick waved his hand gesturing Wally to leave. Wally got close to him and shared his umbrella.

"Obviously you're not fine Dick. Please, just come with me ok?" Wally insisted. Dick couldn't even look his friend in the eyes. If Artemis wasn't working with Kaldur now, Wally would be with her at home right now doing god knows what. Not worrying about his pathetic friend who's drunk in the rain.

"Please?" Wally repeated.

_How can he speak so casually to me?_ _Just a day ago all Wally was concerned about was his poor girlfriend that I apparently put in harm's way. Doesn't he realize that we're all making sacrifices to stop the invasion? And out of all the sacrifices I've made, he hasn't been that concerned about me. _The anger was building up again. Wally reached for his hand and Dick slapped it away angrily.

"I said I'm fine!" Dick yelled. His sudden harshness surprised both of them. Wally backed away slightly with a hurt look on his face. _What am I saying?_ Dick wondered. _I'm being a jerk_. Dick rustled his black hair to shake the water out. He looked at the ground and began to feel more and more dizzy.

"Seriously. Just go. It's not like you'd want me around right now." Dick said in a tough voice. He was determined to hide the severity of the state he was in. Wally's face turned serious.

"You don't need to explain this to me Dick. Just let me take you to my apartment before you catch a cold." Wally put a friendly hand on Dick's shoulder. Dick could hardly comprehend such kindness coming from Wally after the fallout they had so recently. Dick shivered violently and Wally's suggestion was becoming more appealing by the second.

"Fine." Dick grumbled, his eyes staying glued to the ground. Without another word, Wally adjusted the boy onto his back and began walking them to his car. _Why is he being so nice? Dick wondered. And why do I keep getting so angry? _Dick allowed himself to let go of a few more tears, knowing that Wally wouldn't notice while he was on his back. Dick let his head rest on Wally's shoulder. Wally gently placed Dick into the front seat of his car and handed him his jacket.

"Here. Take off your wet jacket and throw it in the back. You can borrow mine for now." Wally said. Dick nodded, his face still flushed from the intoxication and embarrassment of this night. Dick removed his soaked hoodie and put on Wally's large rain coat. Over the years, Dick has almost completely reached the same clothing size as Wally, a fact he was rather proud of. But his growth was also a painful reminder of how much things have changed between the two of them. Dick wasn't the boy wonder anymore. He was Nightwing. And he had an obligation to his team that shouldn't be neglected because of his petty problems.

"Dick?" Wally's voice caused the boy to jump. He turned to Wally looking at him with a worried face. Wally was no idiot; he noticed the obvious redness in Dick's eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Wally asked in a concerned voice. Man was he oblivious. Dick rested his head on the cold window and watched the rain drops collect and fall on the glass. He shut his eyes and tried to come up with a good lie. No matter how hard he tried, his thoughts remained clouded. An awkward silence followed Wally's question.

"Ok, I'll take that as a no." Wally sighed and began to drive. Dick lifted his head and turned to his friend. He couldn't help but wonder if Wally felt the same way as him at all. If he missed how things used to be. Back when he was Robin, Wally was Kid Flash, and when Kaldur was Aqualad. If he missed the hero work, the team, or him.

Dick was far too scared to just ask Wally straight out about it. He imagined the countless scenarios in which that conversation could go wrong. He imagined Wally being weirded out by his questions. He thought Wally might laugh at him for being so childish. Worst of all, he could imagine Wally admitting that his relationship with that archer was more important than his relationship with him now. To Dick, every situation would end up with him pushing Wally farther away from him, which was the last thing he wanted. In his racing thoughts, Dick took a deep breath and closed his eyes. _Artemis is dead._ Dick tried to convince himself. _Like she was to the rest of the team, Artemis is really dead. There's no plan. No double agent._ This thinking brought a small grin on Dick's face and gave him a sense of peace_. It's just me and Wally again from now on. Just like the old days._ Being so wasted, Dick began to believe his own lies. Before long, Dick drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

***Took me forever to update this xD I've been so busy! My bad _**

The sound of a television caused Dick to wake up. His eyes opened slowly and adjusted to the bright light in the room. _What happened?_ _Where am I?_ Dick jolted up and saw he was on a couch with a large blue blanket on top of him. He looked at himself and noticed he was wearing black sweats and a pink t shirt with flowers on it.

"What the?" Dick began. His mind went blank, and it took him time to recall where he was. His normal mindset suggested that he had been captured on a mission and was now prisoner. After a moment, he slowly got a grip on reality. He was at Wally's, or rather _Artemis's_ apartment right now. Wally must have carried him inside. Dick's thoughts were still clouded. He stretched and yawned when he noticed the smell of alcohol on his breath. His memory flooded back in that instant, turning his face a bright red. The sound of footsteps directed Dick's attention to the doorway.

"Morning!" Wally greeted cheerfully as he walked in the room. Dick flinched in response to Wally's words. He felt like everything that happened was just a dream. Seeing Wally was really here gave Dick a bad feeling in his chest. Wally took a seat next to Dick on the couch.

"Oh, uh morning." Dick replied quietly while avoiding eye contact.

Wally was in his pajamas and his hair was a mess._ I probably look ten times worse right now_ Dick recalled, his eyes were swollen from crying and for some reason he was wearing a silly pink t shirt.

Wally began to flip through the channels on the television. Dick rubbed his forehead as it throbbed with pain. He kept his eyes on the ground. He was struggling with talking to Wally after what happened. Dick took a deep breath and built up his courage.

"Wally?" Dick started.

"Yeah?" Wally replied. He immediately turned off the TV and looked at Dick.

_How do I begin?_ Dick asked himself. He decided to go for idle small talk.

"So…why were you in that alley at 3 in the morning?" Dick asked awkwardly. After last night's events, talking to Wally was so strained; he might as well have been talking to a stranger.

"That's all?" Wally grumbled. The disappointment in Wally's face was apparent. Wally tried to look into Dick's eyes, only for Dick to turn away.

"I could ask you the same question Dick. I'm sure your answer is much more interesting. "Wally teased. Dick remained silent and waited for a real answer.

"Well, since Artemis left I've had to do my own grocery shopping." Wally explained. "I keep forgetting to buy food and I was starving so I had to go to the only 24 hour convenience store in the neighborhood. You can't imagine how surprised I was to find the mighty Nightwing in a puddle on the side of the store." Dick could tell Wally was trying to get an explanation out of him, but he continued to be stubborn.

"I see…" Dick mumbled. Wally sighed.

"Why am I wearing this?" Dick pulled up the corner of his shirt. Wally looked at his friend and covered his mouth to prevent himself from laughing.

"Sorry." Wally let out a small giggle. "You were soaked so I gave you some clothes. All of my shirts were dirty, so you had to borrow one of Artemis's."

_Artemis's?_ Dick's eyes widened with surprise. He looked down at his hideous shirt and then at Wally. Dick's surprise quickly turned to anger.

"It's huge on her so I figured it would fit you just fine." Wally chuckled softly then put on a straight face. "It suits you."

Dick's glare was deadly. He was not amused. To Dick, it seemed like Wally was practically _trying_ to provoke him. Dick took the shirt off and handed it to Wally.

"What? Too manly to wear pink?" Wally teased. _The color is the last thing that bothers me._ Dick thought to himself. Wally handed the shirt in front of his friend.

"No." Dick grumbled angrily.

"I was just teasing. Come on just wear it. My heater's broken, so you're gonna freeze without it." Wally said. Dick ignored Wally's gesture and remained shirtless. Dick then realized that he still slightly buzzed.

"I am not wearing that shirt." Dick stated firmly.

"Seriously dude just take it. Artemis wouldn't mind. "

Dick was getting mad, again._ Stop mentioning her. _Dick begged mentally.

"She's doing her part in stopping the Light,"

_Stop it. _

"The least you can do for Artemis is not freeze to death."

"I hate that girl! I am not wearing her shirt!" Dick yelled. There was a short pause and Dick froze in astonishment at his own words.

Wally tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. He couldn't tell if Dick was joking or not, so he didn't seem to be offended.

"You hate her?" Wally asked calmly. He figured Dick was still intoxicated, so he spoke to him gently. He put a friendly hand on Dick's shoulder like he did the other night. "Since when? You guys are friends-"

Dick lifted the front of Wally's shirt and pushed him against the wall.

"_We're_ friends Wally!" Dick yelled. He couldn't take it anymore. Wally froze in place, wide-eyed. Dick's fist clenched the fabric of Wally's pajama shirt. Dick's intoxication had corrupted his control over himself.

"You and me! We were teammates!" Dick's angry affectation was convincing until tears began to collect and fall down his face. He bit his lip in attempt to silence his sobs to no avail. Dick gave up. He let his head down and began to cry uncontrollably.

Wally's eyes were wide with surprise. Out of all the hardships Dick had been through, Wally never saw Dick cry.

"It's not the same anymore Wally. Not without you." Dick said slowly. "I always thought I was just fighting to protect the people. And that made me happy. But now when I fight, it feels almost meaningless." Wally listened to his friend inventively.

"I know that it's not…And I can't live life without being part of the team. I just don't like it the way I used to. I think what made me enjoy it so much was being with…" He stopped himself. Dick took a deep breath. "It's like I've been left behind… For _her_ …"

Dick continued to have a breakdown. This one was worse than the one last night. Dick began to cough and gasp in-between sobs. Despite Wally's efforts, Dick had gotten sick from the rain, and it made crying all the more painful. The pain suffocated him, both physically and emotionally. Wally stared, shocked and without words. Wally couldn't even look Dick in the eyes. The room fell silent except for Dick's loud crying.

"Dick-"

"Just don't." Dick interrupted. He composed himself as much as he could, but small tears still left his eyes. Dick spotted his wet shirt in the corner of the room and dashed for it. Before Wally could blink, Dick was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

***Ok so this is official birdflash now, sorry if some of you didn't know that that's where it was goin' :x**

Dick was dying to beat something up. Even though he had caught a cold, he decided suit up as Nightwing to go on a recon mission with Superboy. He was done with all these mixed up feelings inside of him. The only way Dick could cope now was by doing his job.

Nightwing and Superboy stood on the roof of a warehouse to observe a corporation suspected of smuggling stolen tech. It was only simple recon mission.

He and Superboy watched the potential criminals across the street and collected data. For once, Dick prayed the mission would take a wrong turn so he could fight the criminals instead of watching them. Dick needed some action. After what happened that morning, he could hardly control his rage. He kept thinking about all the things he said to Wally that he never intended to vocalize. That he hated Artemis. That he doesn't like being a hero the same way. That he felt betrayed.

Nightwing noticed a particularly heavy set man next to a truck. _He would be a good fight_ Nightwing thought to himself. He scanned the men and wanted desperately to take each one of them down. His temptations caused Nightwing to stand up and prepare to go down to fight, but stopped himself.

_I better avoid any unnecessary conflict _Nightwing decided. He was unwilling to make a fool of himself in front anyone ever again.

Superboy sat as he looked through his binoculars. He was wearing the unintentionally angry expression he always wore.

"That should be enough for today." Superboy concluded. Nightwing nodded in agreement while having a coughing fit.

"You ok?" Superboy asked. Nightwing placed his gloved hand on his head and could still detect a fever.

"I'm fine." Nightwing lied. "It's just a small cough."

"Not that." Superboy got up and looked up at the teen. His expression was a mixture of anger and puzzlement.

"Did you go through a tough breakup or something?" Superboy questioned. Dick's eyes showed surprise that was hidden by his mask.

"No, why would you say that?" Nightwing responded nonchalantly. Dick was in hero mode. He was not going to let himself sound flustered.

Superboy looked unconvinced. He observed up and down the muscular teen.

"Well someone must have messed with your heart." Superboy concluded. "You're acting weird and I know that expression. You can only look like that after someone's ripped your heart out. Trust me. That face is very familiar."

Nightwing blushed slightly in response to Superboy's suggestion. Dick couldn't go around Superboy's instinct, but he was going to try.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Nightwing began to jump to the next rooftop over. Superboy followed closely behind.

"Look Nightwing, you've got to sort things out or your head won't be in the game. "

Nightwing pretended not to hear Superboy's comments as they travelled roof to roof.

"When M'gann and I spilt, I was sloppy and angrier than usual. That's no way to fight."

Superboy paused.

"I guess when you're in love with someone that you have to leave, it really takes its toll…" Superboy mumbled.

_In love?_

That notion caught Nightwing off guard. He tripped and began to fall off of the roof top when Superboy caught him. Connor smirked.

"I knew it." Superboy said proudly. He picked up Nightwing in one swift motion and put him on the roof. Nightwing brushed himself off in embarrassment. Dick was unsure why that one sentence made lose his focus.

"Fine, I'm having issues. " Nightwing sighed. Superboy raised an eyebrow. "But it's just a friend problem." Nightwing added quickly.

"Yeah, sure." Conner teased. "Well friend problems wouldn't make you_ this_ clumsy." Superboy lifted Nightwing's eskrima sticks from behind his back.

"What?" Nightwing frantically searched himself for his weapons. _When did he take them? _He wondered. Superboy handed Nightwing his sticks.

"Thanks…" Nightwing said quietly.

"Look, I know it's none of my business about what you do when you're not Nightwing. But if you want to lead a team, you have to be in it 100 percent." Connor turned to leave. His back was to Nightwing.

"Sort out what you need to. But don't try to instruct anyone until you're head's on straight." Connor called sphere and he was gone.

Nightwing stood there, still as a statue. The night air blew his hair gently. He was feeling lousy, but most of all confused. He took a seat at the building's edge.

_Wally is my friend, and that's all he is to me. _Dick repeated in his mind. But he knew Connor had a point. Friends don't get this hot and bothered about these things. And friends shouldn't become this spacey thinking about them. _Is that what Wally is? My friend?_

Dick dangled his feet and looked down at the streets. They were so far away_. I wonder how Wally would react if I jumped. _Dick thought. Dick immediately shook away that unhealthy thinking. _Why was that the first thing that came to mind?_ Dick stood up and wandered on the roof. His fever cooled with the chill of the air. It helped him concentrate.

Dick began to ponder the night before. He remembered how he told Wally that he hated his girlfriend. _I shouldn't hate Artemis. _Dick admitted. He thought about how he and Artemis fought side by side. He exhaled.

"Well, I don't really. She's my friend…" Dick spoke to himself. After a long inner conflict he started to recognize that this feeling wasn't hate.

"I guess I was jealous." Dick said in defeat. He looked around him to assure himself that no one was listening to him talk to himself. He was confident he was alone. Dick became less tense.

_Friends shouldn't be jealous of other friends. Not this much anyways. _Dick accepted. Superboy's words struck him again.  
_"I guess when you're in love with someone that you have to leave, it really takes its toll…"_

"I can't be in love with Wally!" Dick practically shouted. His voice softly echoed against the buildings.

"That's… impossible." Dick thought of himself as a ladies' man. He could, and had, dated any girl he wanted to. But he never acted this way about any girl. In fact, no one made him this emotionally unstable. Dick gripped his head with force trying to deny the obvious.

He searched his mind for a contradiction in Superboy's theory. The more Dick searched, the more he realized there wasn't any. Wally was extremely important to him. Wally was always the one who was there for him. He was the only one who knew his identity, the only one to know him as Nightwing and Dick Grayson. There were so many things Dick appreciated about Wally that it crossed the borderline of simple friendship.

He knew for a long time that Wally was very important to him, but until now he never admitted why that is. Dick stood up and looked at the city bellow him. He was done lying to himself.

"Fine. I'll say it." Even in solitude Dick needed to pause in embarrassment. "I'm in love with Wally West."


End file.
